There may be a Republican Party ‘war’ over the border wall: Graham
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has claimed that there may be a ‘war’ within the Republican Party if United States President Donald Trump declares a national emergency to build his proposed southern border wall.
"It seems to me that he's going to have to go it alone, but there could be a war within the Republican Party over the wall," said Graham in the US state of South Carolina on Monday.
In Greenville, @LindseyGrahamSC says he’s “not very optimistic” about the odds of a wall funding deal with Democrats.
— Jamie Lovegrove (@jslovegrove) February 4, 2019
“It seems to me that (Trump) is going to have to go it alone. But there could be a war within the Republican Party over the wall...” #scpol pic.twitter.com/DMpfB2UgwT
Admitting that Republicans were divided on whether Trump should use emergency powers to circumvent Congress opposition to the wall, Graham said that he would "stand with" with the president's decision, urging party colleagues to do the same.
"To any Republican who denies the president the ability to act as commander in chief, you're going to create a real problem within the party," Graham said.
Many among the president’s Republican allies have criticized the potential declaration of national emergency.
Some have argued the move could be challenged in court, delaying the planned wall for years and potentially empowering a future Democratic presidential candidate.
Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is among top Republicans who have publicly criticized an emergency declaration, warning that the president may be forced to veto a probable Congress resolution blocking the measure.
“I'm for whatever works, which means avoiding a shutdown and avoiding the president feeling he should declare a national emergency,” McConnell said last week.
On Friday, however, Trump once again threatened to use emergency powers.
Trump refuses to endorse a budget that does not contain the $5.7 billion he needs to build the barrier.
Trump argues the wall is needed to stop illegal immigration, an issue recently described by the US intelligence community as “a threat to national security” at a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on January 29.
On January 25, Trump agreed to temporarily reopen the government until February 15.
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